Why Children Play Sports: A Parent's, Coach's and Athlete's Perspective A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree Master of Education in the Graduate School of Marietta College
Running Head: Reasons Why Children Choose to Play SportsWhy Children Play Sports:A Parent’s, Coach’s and Athlete’s PerspectiveA ThesisPresented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements forThe Degree Master of Education in theGraduate School of Marietta CollegeByEmily J. Crandall, B.A.*****Marietta College2007Master’s Examination Committee: Approved byDr. William M. Bauer, Advisor______________________________ Advisor Department of Education
ABSTRACT
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Beginning as young as five or six years of age, children participate in organized youth
sports and there are an estimated 25-35 million children under the age of eighteen who
participate in organized youth sports. Whether success records, statistics, motivational
factors or personal reasons are the motivators behind participation in sports, athletes are
often studied by the population. Despite a large contingency of children who participate
in sports, professional or adult athletes’ thoughts and motivations are often studied.
However, one thing is known: Thereason children play sports is because they are fun.
This study explored the viewpoints of parents, coaches and students from Marietta
Middle School and their opinions regarding why children choose to participate in youth
sports. More importantly, their viewpoints on whether or not the opinions of parents and
coaches match the perceptions of the athletes themselves. The researcher conducted a
survey of 6-8 grade students from Marietta Middle School, their parents as well as
parent-coaches. The survey was distributed via the classroom to the students and
distributed to the homes of parents/coaches via the students.
DEDICATION
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To my parents Kenn and Toni Crandall. With their endless love, support,
encouragement and guidance, my dreams have always been possible.
To my brothers Kenny and Michael who are constantly setting the bar higher and
who inspire me to be my best.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to Dr. Greg Brewood who thought it was important for me to choosemy own direction and has supported me throughout the entire process. I am thankful for my entire family: Mom, Dad, Michael, Ken, Michelle andKenny. Thank you for your support while I pursued this degree. I wish to thank Dr. William M. Bauer for his suggestion of this topic as well ashis encouragement to dive further into my interest of athletics. Thank you to Dr. Tanya Judd-Pucella whose endless help, resources and patienceguided me throughout much of the process. Most importantly, thank you to my mother, Toni Crandall, whose love for theEnglish language and guidance as a mother inspired me to become a teacher.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Children’s Sports vPageAbstract ………………………………………………………………………………… iiDedication ……………………………………………………………………………... iiiAcknowledgements …………………………………………………………………..… ivList of Tables ………………………………………………………………………..… viiChapters: 1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………. 1 Statement of the Problem ………………………………………………. 4 Purpose and Research Questions ………………………………………. 4 Hypothesis ………………………………………………………………. 4 Alternative Hypothesis …………………………………………………. 4 Central Phenomena …………………………………………………….. 4 Definition of Terms …………………………………………………….. 5 Limitations of the Study ………………………………………………... 7 2. Review of the Literature ……………………………………………………. 8 3. Methods ……………………………………………………………………. 17 Participants ……………………………………………………………. 17 Procedure ……………………………………………………………... 17 Instruments ……………………………………………………………. 18 Data Analysis …………………………………………………………. 19 4. Results ……………………………………………………………………… 20
Table 1.1 – For the excitement of competition ………………………….………... 22
Table 1.2 – To do something you’re good at ……………………………...……… 23
Table 1.3 – To stay in shape ……………………………………………………… 23-24
Table 1.4 – Having fun …………………………………………………………… 24
Table 1.5 – For the challenge of competition ………………….………………… 25
Table 1.6 – To be part of a team ………………………………………………….. 25-26
Table 1.7 – Winning ……………………………………………………………… 26
Table 1.8 – To go to a high level of competition ………………………………… 27
Table 1.9 – To get exercise ……………………………………………………… 27-28
Table 2.0 – To learn new skills ..………………………………………………… 28
Table 2.1 – For the team spirit …………………………………………………… 29
Table 2.2 – To hang out with friends .…………………………………………… 29-30
Table 2.3 – Because adults want you to play .…………………………………… 30
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CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION Athletes are often and meticulously studied. Physicians study athletes to betterunderstand their health, fitness and performance. People (who may or may not beathletes themselves) study athletes as spectators. Even children who collect baseballcards, autographs, or hang posters of athletes on their bedroom walls are studying anathlete through a form of admiration. Due to the nature of sports today, most publicizedsports are professional sports; therefore, much of the studying of sports today isconducted on the adult level. However, understanding children’s sports, morespecifically, why children play sports is also important. Whether it is joining a sports team in college, signing up for youth soccer inelementary school or playing a family game of football on Thanksgiving Day, people findways to participate in sports. Sports are beneficial to help one stay in shape and to helppeople socially interact, but sports participation also teaches valuable life skills. Youth sports are highly involved, popular activities that are “assumed to haveimportant physical, psychological and social development consequences [and are]…thought to play a major role in improving children’s health and welfare for years tocome” (Hedstrom & Gould, 2004). Hedstrom and Gould (2004) also state that theatmosphere of youth sports has become increasingly more competitive in nature duringrecent years. Furthermore, the enhanced stress and involvement are causing moreinjuries and “burnout” for youth athletes. Each child has their own specific reason why
Children’s Sports 2they choose to be involved in sports. Whether it be learning to work together in a group,learning about practicing and sportsmanship, “magazines and newspapers as well as some
coaching textbooks often suggest that ‘having fun’ is the major value of participating inyouth sports” (Parents Plus, 2005).
Dueto these various benefits sports involvement offers, athletics have become alarge part of today’s society. These benefits are regardless of the participant’s age, for asathletes mature, so do their reasons for playing. Participation “in organized sports can
have [both] physical and social benefits” (Pediatrics, 2001), for children. Thusparticipation in athletics provides and educates children these necessary life skills. Sportsthat are generally spontaneous and unstructured allow children to develop motor skills,socially interact, be creative, and enjoy what they do overall (Pediatrics, 2001). It isoften the nature of the particular sports organization that determines whether or not sportsinvolvement is a positive or negative experience, but the “majority of kids greatly benefitfrom just participating in sports” (Let the Kids Play, 2005).
Parental involvement is also a key aspect in youth sports; however, parents needto understand and remember the reasons children themselves choose to participate.Parental understanding of children’s “reasons for wanting to play sports is a critical firststep towards helping children to have the best possible experiences in sport” (ParentsPlus, 2005), and is an important topic parents need to remain focused on. According tothe Columbus Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Department, parents, “often times,look for sports to challenge their child, engage them in competition, and set winning asthe goal.” These large “discrepancies between a child and parent’s interest in sports can
Children’s Sports 3have negative psychological effects on the child, or lead to physical injury” (Columbus
Children’s Hospital, 2005). Children play sports for a variety of reasons, some of which
are defined by parents while others are identified by coaches, but what are these reasons
defined by the children themselves?
Thisstudy tabulated quantitative data and explored the central phenomena – why
do children choose to participate in youth sports? The researcher surveyed parents,
parents who have been and who are coaches of youth sports as well as students (grades 6-
8) from Marietta Middle School. This study intended to provide insight on the views of
children compared with the perceptions of parents and coaches as to why children choose
to participate in youth sports.
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Statement of the Problem Adults list health reasons, social interaction and development of certain life skillsas the primary reasons they choose to have their children participate in youth sports. Thisresearcher is intrigued by the lack of correlation between parents’ and coaches’perceptions of why children play sports compared with the reasons of youth athletes whoare actually participating in the sport.Purpose and Research Questions The purpose of this study was to explore children’s views and their opinionsregarding participation and perceived benefits of sports participation. By interviewingboth male and female athletes as well as their parents and coaches, the researcherexamined differing viewpoints regarding youth sports. The researcher believed a studywould be helpful to both coaches and parents who are involved with children whoparticipate in youth sports.Hypothesis There is no difference between parents’, coaches’ and athletes’ views aboutsports.Alternative Hypothesis There is a difference between parents’, coaches’ and athletes’ views about sports.Central Phenomena Why do children play sports?